Contract type: Fixed Term Contract (12 months)
Location: Hatfield (hybrid working – 3 days in the office)
Working hours per week: 40 hours
Level: L3 Merchandise Planner (Junior Merchandiser)
Application closing date: Friday 15th August 2025
About Us
Our mission is to deliver joy in every shop, through unbeatable choice, unrivaled service, and reassuringly good value.
We’re
Ocado Retail, a market-leading, joint venture between Ocado Group and M&S and the world’s largest dedicated online supermarket
ocado.com. Not only is Ocado.com the only place to shop a full range of M&S food online, but it’s also the home to the widest online supermarket range in the UK and champion of small, independent brands. We’re also the brains behind
Zoom by Ocado, our same-day grocery delivery service.
About The Team And The Role
The Merchandise Planner is responsible for the optimisation of stock levels for their department on Ocado.com. They will have full accountability for the stock holding, availability to promise, service levels, YOY improvements in stock cover, and warehouse space utilisation across a specified set of categories and suppliers.
The Merchandise Planner works closely with the MPM & Buying Manager for the relevant to ensure sales weighted availability is maintained at optimal levels to drive sales, meet KPI’s and boost warehouse efficiencies. They are also responsible for delivering their departments KPIs including basket contribution (sales), gross margin, profitability, aged stock and purge.
Team Structure
Senior Merchandise Planning Manager
Merchandise Planning Manager
Merchandise Planner (L1,2,3)
Merchandise Planning Assistant
What You’ll Do
Forecasting Stock and Commercial Trading – Independently manage macro (category/supplier) and micro (SKU) level forecasting across a defined product area.
- Develop and deliver category buying plans aligned to the business’ strategies and commercial targets
- Long term stock projections for new season launches working in line with the financial KPIs, OTB budgets, promotional plans and planned visibility
- Daily validation of system generated purchase orders with complete focus on maintaining high standards of sales weighted availability
- Managing availability and stock levels throughout the season, identifying and handling gaps between forecasts and trading actuals
- Working closely with the SC team to support 95% ATP on range managed by them for the relevant department
- Planning, top line forecasting and trading of key events to maximise sales and minimise residual stock
- Using reporting tools to analyse and understand performance and opportunities. Analysing past sales figures & trends to anticipate future product performance
- Ensuring the space within our warehouses is utilised in a profitable manner and that adequate space is available for planned inbound volumes throughout the season
- Working with product & merchandise team to maximise visibility of best sellers, seasonal products as well as newness at launch
Managing stock clearance and sell through activity – SKU level management of the exit stock. This includes:
- Recommending lines that should be discontinued based on average ROS performance, aged stock and supplier MOQ’s
- Maintaining Aged stock levels to the minimum, by highlighting slow sellers in time so stock is not written off
- Creating and managing clearance promotions to ensure exit lines are sold through promptly with focus on department level margin targets
Managing Supplier Performance – Work with new and established suppliers to ensure that the supply relationship is nurtured from the start of direct supply through to an effective working relationship. Review and challenge supplier performance, in order to maximise commercial and logistical benefits to the Ocado business. This includes:
- Conducting supplier service level reviews
- Planning new line launches & working with suppliers to ensure that happens in line with critical path timelines
- Establishing regular communication channels with suppliers, not just when there are issues
- Holding regular supplier meetings; not just on a “need to” basis to develop relationships with our key and problematic suppliers
- Producing short, medium to long term forecasts for suppliers to maximise service levels
- Comply with GSCOP and Competition Law while dealing with suppliers
Data Management – Product and supplier relevant data to be input and maintained using Ocado’s custom built systems. This includes:
- Maintaining SKU forecast data in Utopia
- Create and maintain supplier schedules
- MOQ sign off and product availability updates for new lines and existing SKUs
- Admin tasks like raising delists and updating ATP categories to effectively manage ATP
Who You Are
- Proven experience working as an established Merchandise Planner with extensive experience ideally within online sales in the Homeware, Beauty, Clothing & Healthcare sectors
- Planning and organisation – manages multiple tasks and stakeholders ensuring deadlines are met
- Numerical and analytical skills – able to interpret complex data and identify key drivers for performance
- Commercial acumen – strong understanding of market, product mix, basket and margin
- Adaptable and able to initiate change and evolution in all aspects of the workplace
- Communication – effectively and flexes style according to the audience ensuring positive outcomes are reached
- Teamwork – builds a strong sense of community including working collaborative and proactively supports colleagues to achieve organisational goals
- Results orientated – focused on getting the job done, decisive and able to work in a fast paced environment. Proactively identifies opportunities to improve range performance and profitability
- Customer-centric with a desire to exceed customer expectations
- Management experience is desirable
- IT Skills – high levels of proficiency in MS Office and GSuite
What’s In It For You
By joining Ocado Retail you’ll have the chance to experience life at the world’s largest online retailer, work with an amazing bunch of people who challenge what’s possible each day, and grow your skills and career in online retail.
If that’s not enough to tempt you, you’ll also get access to loads of great benefits to sweeten the deal. Here’s a taste of what we offer:
Health & Wellbeing: Private medical insurance with the option to add your family, Digital GP appointments, market-leading family policies, mental health support, discounted gym memberships, dental insurance, and more.
Spend & Save: Recognition with reward platform, up to 7% matched pension contributions, 15% Ocado discount, 20% M&S discount, free breakfast every day in the office, electric vehicle leasing scheme and free shuttle bus from Hatfield station to the office.
Never miss the moments that matter: Blended/Hybrid working, 26 days holiday plus 8 flexible bank holidays, options to buy an extra holiday, 2 weeks work from anywhere, and lifestyle break opportunities.
Our Hiring Process
Lucky for us, we get loads of great applications and we really appreciate that so many people put the time and effort in to apply. To recognise that, we treat all applications respectfully and fairly. So, if yours stands out, you’ll follow our standard hiring process – one of our Talent Partners will talk you through this in an initial call.
Everyone’s welcome
We’re an equal opportunities employer. That means that we make sure all potential colleagues are treated fairly and equally. If you require reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know on the application form.
